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November 06, 2007

Never mind CFLs, says LA Times, eat less meat

Thought you all might be interested in a recent Los Angeles Times editorial, “Killer
Cow Emissions,” related to sustainable eating.

Basically, the article says that livestock is responsible
for 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (in the form of mostly methane and nitrous oxide), more than the entire
transportation sector, and that, to add to the bad news, global meat production
looks set to double in the next 40 years.

“…A recent report in the Lancet led by Australian National University professor Anthony J. McMichael posits that available technologies applied
universally could reduce non-carbon dioxide emissions from livestock [such as methane and nitrous oxide] by less than 20%. The authors
advocate another, fringe approach that has long been embraced by dietitians and
vegans but is a long way from going mainstream in the United States: eating less meat…

“…as evidence mounts that cutting back on beef would both
improve our health and help stave off global warming, a campaign urging people
to do so is clearly in order. It's understandable why political candidates are
wary of bashing beef, but less understandable why environmental leaders with
nothing to lose are reluctant to raise the issue. They would be more credible
in targeting polluters if they were equally assertive in pointing out what all Americans can do to fight global
warming, and at the very top of that list -- way ahead of more commonly
mentioned approaches such as buying fluorescent lightbulbs or energy-efficient
appliances -- would be eating less red meat.”

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Comments

Never mind CFLs, says LA Times, eat less meat

Thought you all might be interested in a recent Los Angeles Times editorial, “Killer
Cow Emissions,” related to sustainable eating.

Basically, the article says that livestock is responsible
for 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (in the form of mostly methane and nitrous oxide), more than the entire
transportation sector, and that, to add to the bad news, global meat production
looks set to double in the next 40 years.

“…A recent report in the Lancet led by Australian National University professor Anthony J. McMichael posits that available technologies applied
universally could reduce non-carbon dioxide emissions from livestock [such as methane and nitrous oxide] by less than 20%. The authors
advocate another, fringe approach that has long been embraced by dietitians and
vegans but is a long way from going mainstream in the United States: eating less meat…

“…as evidence mounts that cutting back on beef would both
improve our health and help stave off global warming, a campaign urging people
to do so is clearly in order. It's understandable why political candidates are
wary of bashing beef, but less understandable why environmental leaders with
nothing to lose are reluctant to raise the issue. They would be more credible
in targeting polluters if they were equally assertive in pointing out what all Americans can do to fight global
warming, and at the very top of that list -- way ahead of more commonly
mentioned approaches such as buying fluorescent lightbulbs or energy-efficient
appliances -- would be eating less red meat.”